


tricks

by nowrunalong



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, F/F, Friends to Lovers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-25
Updated: 2015-02-25
Packaged: 2018-03-15 01:04:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 834
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3432332
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nowrunalong/pseuds/nowrunalong
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>Never kisses—all you ever send are full stops.</i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	tricks

It had just been an offhand remark at the bar but it stuck with Clara. Mostly because she’d been flirting with the blonde at the time. _I’ve never been into girls_.

Clara knew it wasn’t personal, but she still took it like a slap in the face. She’d been too obvious. She’d done it again. First Nina; now Rose. She’d made her feelings clear too soon and had her heart smashed to pieces.

So, after that night, she’d come up with a new strategy: _don’t fall in love_.

Unfortunately, she needed that trick quite often—sometimes more than twice a day. It was difficult when the object of your affections was your partner in a group project.

It was even more difficult when that partner tucked those flyaway strands of blonde hair Clara longed to touch behind her ears as she looked down at the papers in front of her. When she licked her lips. When she unleashed that radiant smile: the one with the tip of her tongue poking out.

Clara would be lying if she said that she wasn’t avoiding Rose a little bit. She’d cancelled out on their coffee date that afternoon (coffee… meeting—not date) under the pretence that “something else had come up”, and now Rose was texting her questions about their presentation.

 **Received** : We should probably add pics, yeah?

 **Received** : Would look prettier

There was hardly anything that could make Rose Tyler prettier in Clara Oswald’s eyes. There was something about her: an essence that radiated sunshine. She was so caring, so hopeful, so strong.

Clara rolled her eyes at her own train of thought. God, she was smitten. _Don’t fall in love_. She said it a second time: out loud, teeth gritted.

 **Sent** : Yeah.

There. That didn’t _sound_ smitten.

 **Received** : Great!

 **Received** : Can u look into that later while I type up the last slide?

 **Received** : I can also find some

 **Received** : Or take some

 **Received** : Keisha has a camera I can borrow

Clara would probably do the whole thing if Rose asked nicely. She knew that Rose was struggling with this class. She probably needed this time to catch up on their last project.

Rose never would, though. She was too proud. Too good.

 _Don’t fall in love_.

 **Sent** : Sure.

 **Received** : You’re the best x

Clara had about a thousand different replies to that. No problem! _You’re_ the best. _I love you_.

Where the hell had that come from?

 _Don’t fall in love_.

Clara didn’t reply.

—

Today, Clara and Rose sat on opposite sides of the room: Clara at the front near the door, Rose near the back.

As soon as class was dismissed, Clara grabbed her bag and made for the exit, hoping to avoid—er, make it to her next class early. Or something.

“Clara!”

Clara kept walking as if she hadn’t heard the blonde.

“Clara! Please don’t go!”

Rose caught up to her outside the door.

“Hey! Didn’t you hear me?”

“Sorry. I’m a bit out of it.” Clara smiled in a way that was more polite than overtly friendly.

Rose looked gorgeous, of course. Her cheeks were slightly flushed from her mad dash across the lecture hall and her lips were even pinker than usual.

 _Don’t fall in love_.

Her face didn’t look as smiling as sometimes, though. Instead the blonde looked… upset? Angry? Hurt?

“Did I do somethin' wrong? Why are you avoidin' me? And yesterday—you were bein’ so short with me."

Clara stood dumbstruck, all words lost to her.

“Well, don’t jus’ stand there! Say somethin’! You don’t go from bein’ great friends with someone to ignorin' them.”

“Er...”

“Oh, come on!”

Rose was getting impatient.

“I-was-avoiding-you-because-I-thought-it-would-be-better, I-thought-you-wanted-me-to-stay-away, I-thought—“ Clara took a deep breath.

Now it was Rose’s turn to stare.

“Why the hell would I want you to avoid me?”

“Because you’re not into girls!”

Clara said this a little more loudly than she'd intended. Several passersby turned to look at her before continuing on their way.

There was a moment of silence between them as they looked at each other. Clara was the first to look away.

“I meant that I never have been… before now, y’know,” Rose said quietly. “God, I thought it was obvious.”

“What are you saying?” Clara frowned, uncertain.

And that’s when Rose kissed her full on the mouth.

Both of their cheeks were flushed now.

— 

After that day, Clara had come up with a new strategy: _fall in love_.

She did that trick quite often—sometimes more than twice a day. It was easy when the object of your affections was your partner in a group project.

It was even easier when Clara reached out and tucked those flyaway strands of blonde hair behind her ears as Rose looked down at the papers in front of her. When she kissed her lips. When she knew that that radiant smile—the one with the tip of her tongue poking out—was for her.

 _I’ve fallen in love_.

Clara couldn’t be happier about it.


End file.
